I have a few allergies (nothing causing anaphylactic shock) but none of my four brothers and sisters do; I'm the youngest.
I was the only one of the four not to grow up on a farm.
I didn't grow up on a farm, but I did grow up with pet birds, cats, and dogs, while spending a great deal of time outdoors as a child.
Absolutely zero allergies, including no sniffles and such.
Its rare stories like these that make me stop and think.
I read recently that children need to play in the dirt because it contains very helpful organisms which help to develope the immune system..It does seem likely that our obsession with cleanliness may have hurt us and our kids. I have also read that bathing all the time is not a good thing for kids because the bacteria on their skin is protective and helpful..In addition, during showers and baths they say that we take in, through our skin, the chlorine and other things placed in our water to keep it safe and those substances also might be harmful to us..Man, thinking he/she is so smart, may have messed up the good health of more than one generation.